Reflection of the past
by DarkKnight1
Summary: What if there was a male and female slayer? What if Buffy and Willow had lived in Sunnydale their whole lives and Xander was the newcomer. What if Angel was't the only vampire to be cursed with a soul? (B/X) As well as others.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Reflections of the past  
Author: Socrates  
Category: Story/Action/Adventure/Romance/Angst  
Rating: Not really anything worse then what's on the show.  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own the rights to Buffy and Angel and all its subsidiaries.  
Spoilers: None really.  
Summary: Au. What if there was a male and a female slayer? What is Buffy and Willow have lived in Sunnydale their whole lives and Xander is the newcomer? What if Angel wasn't the only Vampire to be cursed with a soul?  
Distribution: Please tell me where its going.  
  
Author's notes: This is an idea that I've had churning around in my head for a while. I was all set to finish the next part to my Resident evil/Buffy crossover when I learned that the file had been corrupted and all that I had written for part 8b had been lost. Needless to say I was a tad upset and needed something to get my mind off things. This will be my third epic story and god willing I will finish them all eventually.  
  
Authors second note: I will be describing different places in countries that I have never been to. I don't have a beta reader so I can't catch these things beforehand. Please bear with me through my mistakes. Details aren't really important anyway. The story is what matters.  
  
  
Prologue  
  
  
Paris, France  
July 4, 1997  
10:00pm   
  
  
  
The shadow moved quietly and quickly across the rooftops, shielded from protection both by the dark night and the sounds of celebration below. His feet kicked up loose stones from the old roofs as he made his way. Paris on July 4th was a thing of wonder. The city that already seemed to breathe with life came even more alive. The lights from the buildings seemed that much brighter. The energy in the air was almost tangible. People from all over France crowded the streets, singing and laughing in merriment as the city that not even Hitler's third Reich could obliterate turned out in celebration. Fireworks lit up the sky. Bands marched proudly down the street, their music wafting through the night air, lighting up the faces of young and old alike. Grandfathers would reminisce with their grandchildren about the celebrations they witnessed when they were young. All in all it was a wonderful day.  
  
There was another benefit of the time that was oft overlooked. Businesses closed for the day and security was rather lax.  
  
The perfect time for a little breaking and entering.  
  
The dark figure crept ever closer to his objective. His sharp eyes fixing on a large building in the distance, right near the heart of the celebration. The fireworks display was slowing his movements as he would periodically have to duck when a burst of light illuminated his position. Not even the rooftop edges could halt his steady progress however as he would simply leap them, using an incredible lower body strength, and land with making barely a whisper of a sound.  
  
As the fresh air wafted over him he drew in a deep breath and sighed in contentment. This was when he felt truly alive. When it was just him and the night. He could go wherever and do whatever he wished. No one could tell him what to do. He was his own man and the world was his. Everything else just seemed to fade away and he felt as if he could defy gravity if he so wished and if he tried hard enough. The world had no grip on him. Nothing did.  
  
Reaching his hand up, he brushed a strand of his dark hair back. This was the life. Sometimes he wondered how people could handle it. He'd seen them. Families walking through the park, children who looked as though they really didn't want to be there but feared disobedience. Even the ones that openly defied there guardians seemed to lack something. Growing up in a family with rules and regulations. Being told where to go and what to do, not to mention what not to do. He knew in his heart that it would drive him mad. The confinement, the regulations. It seemed almost cruel to do that to someone. He had spent nearly his entire life more or less on his own and he had turned out just fine.  
  
Well, if you didn't count the fact that he was a thief. A very skilled thief at that.  
  
A small noise to his side caught his attention and he looked over toward a shed where the sound had emanated from. Moving stealthily, he crept over to the shed, careful to not make a sound and pausing when he reached the front. He tiptoed up to the side and halted once more, waiting for the right moment. In an instant, he shot his hand out around the side and grabbed onto the figure hiding there. Pulling strongly, he dragged the person out into the light… and sighed.  
  
"Manon! What have I told you about following me?" he questioned sternly in perfect French. His hands going to his hips. His face cast in a look of disapproval.   
  
The young French girl looked at him sheepishly. "You promised to take me with you next time you went." The revelation seemed to give the girl a sense of justification. "You promised!" The girl insisted in her French accent, her eyes narrowing on him.  
  
He sighed, "I know Manon but something came up and I had to change those plans. This one is too dangerous for you."  
  
"But you wouldn't even take Jacques or Pierre! You need back up. Its much too dangerous to do on your own."   
  
He smiled at her, "I've been doing this on my own for most of my life. I can take care of myself."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Manon!" He warned her in a sharp tone.  
  
"I'm sorry Xander." The girl looked away sadly. Xander softened at the look on her face. "Hey." Xander said softly as he placed his hand on her chin and lifted it so she looked him in the eye, "You know I love you right?" The girl tried to look away but Xander was insistent, "Right?" he prodded, his other hand reaching down, ready to begin a tickle assault on his young captive.  
  
Seeing the consequences of further denial, Manon quickly conceded. "Yes Xander. I do."  
  
"Good." He said satisfied. Bending down, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then brushed some of her dark blonde locks out of your eyes. "Now, I need to get going. Do you think you can make it back to the others okay?"  
  
The girl smiled at him, "I know my way Xander." She stated proudly.  
  
"That's my girl." He ruffled her hair with his hand. "Now go on home and I'll be there in a bit."  
  
"Alright." The girl turned and hurried away from him, slipping quietly back into the shadows.  
  
Xander sighed as he watched her go. Who would have ever thought that he would be raising children. Its not like it was something he had planned. For the longest time, just the day to day effort of keeping alive, subsisting on various scraps that he could steal, had been almost too much. Life on the streets had not been easy, and it had been more or less by the grace of god that he had not become a statistic. He had seen what the streets could do to people and it was not a pretty sight. Then, one day, things had changed. He woke up and something was different. He found that he was quicker and stronger then he had been, a bit too strong to have happened naturally. He didn't know what had happened, but thanks to his increased agility he was able to steal much more without getting caught. He managed to eek out a pretty decent living after that. He began taking jobs for certain individuals who were interested in acquiring various pieces of art or jewelry. He had been rather well paid for his services. After an extended search he had located an abandoned house on the outskirts of the city and set about cleaning the place up. When he was finished, it still wasn't something that most people would want to live in, but to him it was home. He found that he was truly happy then.  
  
That was when he had met his first vampire.  
  
It was a rather routine job, stealing a piece of 16th century artwork from a French mansion. He easily made it past the houses security systems and entered the mansion only to find the owners dead in bed covered in their own blood and a dark figure going through a desk drawer. The individual must have sensed him because he turned and leapt at him. That was when Xander got a good look at the mans face. Bony ridges, glowing eyes and bloody fangs. Xander hadn't really had a proper education but he taught himself to read and write and was rather intelligent, so he read quite a lot. His father had read him Brahm Stokers Dracula before he had died and Xander was fascinated by the evil Count. He had read numerous stories about vampires since then and he had seen enough in his life to not doubt that they existed when presented first hand with the evidence. Xander wasn't a fool. On the streets, there were no fools. Not for long.   
  
With the knowledge of what he was dealing with came the understanding of how to kill it. He had reached for his trusty 'pocketknife' as he affectionately called it. The term was absurdly ridiculous since the tool was much too big to fit into a pocket. It was about a foot long and resembled a rather large butterfly knife. The duel handles flipped open to reveal an assortment of tools that could be used to pick locks and pry open bars and bolts. The tool had been crafted by Xander himself and featured an attachment for self defense. A large, curved, retractable blade, nearly a foot in length, with a jagged edge. Xander had used it a few times in the past when dealing with street gangs and was well aware of its effectiveness.  
  
Needless to say, a short struggle later and there was a pile of dust coating the bedroom carpe. Decapitation was apparently a much underrated means of dispatching the undead.  
  
Xander had quickly left after that. He hadn't taken a thing either. It just didn't seem right.  
  
Over the next few months he had periodically run into bloodsuckers and had either sliced their heads off with his 'pocketknife' or driven stake through their un-beating heart. All in all it was little problem for him. He had even taken to patrolling the streets once in a while, looking for vampires. It just felt like the right thing to do.  
  
That was how he had met Manon and the others.  
  
He had tracked a group of vampires to a junkyard and was just finishing them off when a young girl, about 5 years younger then him had stepped from the shadows.  
  
"Hello." She had said.  
  
"Hi"  
  
"are you a fangy hunter?"  
  
"Fangy? Oh! You mean vampires!"  
  
"Uh huh"  
  
"I guess you could call me that."  
  
"Cool."  
  
"My names Xander."  
  
"I'm Manon."  
  
Xander learned that the two boys with her were Jacques and Pierre. Pierre was her older brother and Jacques was their friend. Their parents had been killed in a vampire attack a few weeks ago and they had been living in the junkyard ever since. It wasn't right for ones so young to be on their own so Xander had taken them to live at his place. It was rather large and had plenty of room. Over the next few months Xander had grown to love Jacques and Pierre as if they were his siblings. And Manon as if she was his own child, even though he was much too young to have children.   
  
They lived a happy and carefree life. They weren't wealthy but they made enough to get along. Xander had even begun training the two boys to help out in his 'job', at their assistance of course. He didn't exactly like the idea of them becoming thieves but he knew that they would have to learn how to take care of themselves if they were to stand a chance in life. It was only temporary though. Xander determined to save up enough money so that he could send them to school.  
  
Just one of the paintings he had stolen over the term of his illustrious career would bring in enough money so that he wouldn't have to work again for several years, but he didn't have the necessary contacts to move that kind of merchandise and he didn't want to be caught with something that valuable, so he had to settle for the thief cut, which was rather paltry considering the value of what he would lift. So Xander worked and saved, determined that the children would have a chance he had never been given.  
  
As Xander neared the edge of the roof right before the target building, a figure stepped out of the shadows in front of him, like some wraith appearing from nowhere. He was startled, but quickly recovered.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
The figure slowly stepped into the light and Xander began to make out certain features as the shadows receded. It was a woman, who appeared to be around fifteen to twenty years Xander's senior. She had long, raven black hair that cascaded around her shoulders and made her look like some kind of goddess. Her clothes however were rather plain. A pair of dark blue Jeans, and a white shirt with a jacket over it. Her pale skin seemed to glitter in the moonlight and she smiled at him from behind emerald green eyes.  
  
"Xander Harris I presume?"  
  
Xander was understandably taken aback by the woman knowledge of him. "Who are you? And how do you know my name?"  
  
"I know many things about you Xander. I know that your mother was killed shortly after giving birth to you and that your father took care of you until he was killed several years later."  
  
"How the hell do you know that?"  
  
The woman smiled at him once again, "As I said, I know many things. I also know that you have spent most of your life on the street. And that for the past few months you have been making your living by 'appropriating' shall we say, valuable pieces of artwork and jewelry."  
  
At that, Xander went on the defensive "Are you a cop?"  
  
The lady's laugh was musical, "Oh no. I'm not one of them I assure you."  
  
"Then who the hell are you and what do you want with me?"  
  
The woman stepped forward and extended a gloved hand, "My name is Celeste LeBeau."  
  
"Okay, that answers my first question. Now would you care to go for the grand prize and tell me what you want with me, or do you want to walk with what you've won so far. Hurry! The clock is ticking."  
  
"Ah! I see the famous sarcasm is not a myth then. You are quite well known where I work you know."  
  
"Gee, I guess I should feel honored, but right now I couldn't care less. Now get to the point and get gone. I have work to do."  
  
Celeste sighed sadly as she took his hand, "Xander, I know life has been rough on the streets bu-"  
  
"Hold it right there lady! You may have all the info in the world about what I've done but you know NOTHING about me. So quite with the psychoanalyzing after school bullshit and get to the point. I've got better things to do then sit here and play twenty questions with a Betty Rubble knockoff!"  
  
"Alright. Alright. The point then."  
  
Xander made a mocking gesture with his hand, "If you please Madame."  
  
"The point is that I know what happened to your parents. What really happened that is."  
  
"Well I guess that makes you the lady of the hour. Care to clue in the less informed in the audience?"  
  
"You might want to sit down"  
  
"I'd prefer to stand if its all the same to you."  
  
"It would be better if you sat."  
  
"I was just being polite. I really could care less about what you want."  
  
Celeste shook her head in frustration, "The reports were right. You really can be a stubborn ass."  
  
"it's a gift."  
  
"Alright then, where should I start."  
  
"My guess would be the beginning. Although you could be original and start from the middle. Ya know, make a statement."  
  
"The beginning then."  
  
"Dang! And I was so looking forward to the middle."  
  
"Are you quite finished?"  
  
"Xander nodded his head, "Quite."  
  
"Good. Well then, lets see. You parents were killed by vampires."  
  
"That was blunt."  
  
"I believe in getting to the point."  
  
"An attractive quality in a woman."  
  
"Are you coming on to me?"  
  
"Do you want me to?"  
  
"I'm a little old for you, don't you think."  
  
"I like mature women."  
  
"Can we get back to the point."  
  
"By all means."   
  
The raven haired woman was really beginning to lose her patience. They didn't say he would be THIS annoying! "Okay, were was I? Oh yes. Your parents were warriors against the darkness. They spent their lives fighting against vampires and other creatures of evil. Eventually, the vampires became sick of being hunted and a price was placed on your parents heads."  
  
Xander was beginning to take the situation seriously, "Are you saying that vampire put the hit out on my parents?"  
"Quite right. Anyways, your mother was pregnant with you at the time so your parents tried to evade the assassins until you were born. They succeeded right up until the day of you birth. The assassins from the order of Taraka had tracked your parents to a house in the French countryside. Your mother had just given birth to you and was too weak to travel. She and your father must have agreed that keeping you safe was the priority because your father left with you shortly thereafter."  
  
Xander let all of this sink in, "So what happened to my mother?"  
  
"Her body was found in the bedroom a few days later. Her throat had been slit."  
  
He nodded numbly, for the first time in his life he felt a real sense of loss in regard to his mother. Before, she was just some faceless apparition. Now though, she had a form in his mind, a face even. But what about…"  
  
"What was her name?"  
  
"Genette."  
  
My mothers name was Genette. "And my father?"  
  
"Your father was an American named Anthony. Little is known about the early lives of your parents however, so I am afraid that I cannot give you much more information than what I have."  
  
This snapped Xander out of his reverie. "So why are you telling me all this? What do you want from me?"  
  
"What I want is to help you accept your destiny."  
  
"Listen lady. I thought we had gotten past the cryptic remarks. Are you having a relapse or something?"  
  
"Simply put Xander, you were meant to fight evil."  
  
"RRRHHH WRONG! Thanks for playing we have a lovely parting gift for you. What I was MEANT to do was survive and I am accomplishing that quite nicely thank you."  
  
Now Celeste was really beginning to lose it, "Why do you think that you were given the powers huh? The enhanced strength, the speed, the healing factor? Do you think they were all just gifts from god?"  
  
"I guess I never really thought about it too much." Xander conceded, "But I still don't think I have any kind of destiny, other than to survive."  
  
"You were given those gifts for a purpose Xander. You are a slayer."  
  
Xander stared at her dumbly, "Come again?"  
  
"I said that you are a slayer. In each generation there are the slayers. Two people, a boy and a girl with the strength and skill to fight the vampires, to seek them out where they hide and extinguish their darkness from the face of the earth."  
  
"That was pretty good. Have you ever thought about writing a book?"  
  
"I've written several actually."  
  
"Go figure. Let me guess, demonology texts?"  
  
"Behavioral patterns of the south American vampire"  
  
"Like I said."   
  
"We're getting off tangent again. The point is that you were chosen to fight against the forces of darkness. That is one of the reasons why your parents were murdered."  
  
"Are you saying that the demons found out that I was going to become this 'slayer' person and decided to cut the problem off at the source?"  
  
"It is not clear exactly why they wanted you, but yes essentially you are correct."  
  
"Y'know, so far I'm not liking this whole slayer deal. I'm gonna take a stand and say its not good."  
  
"It's not for you to like or dislike. It is merely for you to accept."  
  
Xander scoffed, "Newsflash lady, what I don't like I don't accept! And I don't like this! So go peddle your merchandise somewhere else! I'm sure there are lots of people who would just love do the whole sacrifice for the good of mankind thing. I'm not that noble."  
  
He turned to go but her voice stopped him in his tracks, "Do you care about Manon?"  
  
He spun around and marched up to her menacingly, "What the hell do you mean? If you're threatening them…"  
  
Celeste ignored him and pressed on. Her voice cold and hard." What about Jacques and Pierre? Do you care about them? Does it matter to you that their parents are gone? That they will never see them again? Hmmm? Does it?"  
  
" Now for the six million dollar question, what's your point?"  
  
"My point is that if you don't accept your destiny, other children will suffer their fate and I know enough about you to know that you don't want that. You care about those children and you would do anything in your power to protect them!"  
  
"Of course I care about them. I love them dammit! But there isn't really that much I can do?"  
  
"That's where you are wrong. There is something you can do, something you must do."  
  
Xander seemed to think this over. He paced back and forth silently. Finally he turned to her and nodded reluctantly. "What do you want me to do?"  
  
Finally we're getting somewhere! "I want you to come with me. I will take you somewhere where you can do some good. Somewhere that you will be desperately needed very soon."  
  
"Just who are you that you go recruiting thieves from rooftops?"  
  
Celeste smiled a bright smile, "I am your guardian."  
  
A look of confusion crossed Xander's face. " I warned you about cryptic speech. Don't make me have to get the hose. Now, What's a Guardian?"  
  
"Simply put a Guardian is the one who trains the male slayer, and acts as their battle coordinator. We supply you with the necessary information to fight the evil."  
  
Xander nodded again, still soaking all of this in. "Makes sense I guess". A thought occurred to him, "What about Manon and the others?"  
  
" Don't worry. They will be coming with us" She reassured him, "They will be enrolled in the local elementary school after we arrive and you will be enrolled in the high school. everything will be taken care of."  
  
"I've never been to a school before. Those places give me the creeps."  
  
"Schools are nothing to fear. You're an intelligent boy so you'll do just fine."  
  
"Alright then." he conceded." He turned to look out on the city and saw that the celebration was winding down, "Do you mind if I finish my job first."  
  
"I would prefer you wouldn't."  
  
"I thought so. Well, its getting late so I think we should go." He commented and they began to make their way over to the fire escape. "Just exactly where are we going?" he asked as they made their way down the side of the building.  
  
"Sunnydale California."  
  
"Sunnydale huh? Sounds like a normal enough place."  
  
Celeste's reaction of cackling laughter echoed into the night.  
  
  
  
End Prologue  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Title: Reflections of the past 1/? Author: Socrates Category: Story/Action/Adventure/Romance/Angst Rating: Not really anything worse then the show Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own Buffy and all its subsidiaries, even though they're forgotten how to write them properly. Spoilers: None Summary: AU. What if there were both a male and a female slayer? What if Buffy and Willow had lived all of their lives in Sunnydale as close friends before meeting a mysterious young man named Xander? What if Angel was not the only vampire to be cursed with a soul? Dedication: To Shawn, Lori, Jai, Michael, C-man, Steve, Bob, Alan, and all the others who keep B/X alive. And to Stone Cold who's not afraid to bash the Buffster once in a while when she needs it. Distribution: Please tell me where its going first. Feedback: Yes Please!  
  
Part 1  
  
Sunnydale Ca September 10 6:00 AM  
  
As the shadows receded back into the dark corners of the earth, sunlight broke through the veil of darkness and made its way down Revello drive to shine into the bedroom window of a plain looking white house. As the light streamed through the window, it shown on a sleeping form, curled underneath the blankets as if seeking warmth. The sunlight would not be dissuaded however and intensified in brightness until it shown full on the young girls face.  
  
A very cranky Buffy Summers awoke from her slumber, cursing the gods and all that was holy for ever having created the sun.  
  
Her lithe form rose from the bed to a sitting position, soft hands ran through her blonde hair as she stretched her tired muscles. Glancing to her side, her hazel eyes fixed on the calendar sitting on her night stand.  
  
"Ah crap!"  
  
Buffy Summers was not in a very good mood, for today was no ordinary day. No, today was a day that went down in the chronicles of teenagedom as the most evil, the most despised of days. Songs were sung by the damned as they rotted in hell of the accursedness of this day.  
  
For you see, today was the first day of School.  
  
Examining her options, the situation looked grim. That was until a desperate plan began to form in her young, devious mind.  
  
I'll just say that I wasn't feeling well, that's it! Mom will believe me and then I can just go back to bed… But what about Will's? I can't just leave her there by herself. Or maybe I can. Yeah, Willow won`t mind. She loves school. Yeah, that`s it! Now I just need a few minutes to prepare!  
  
"Time to get up Buffy!"  
  
Dammit!  
  
"Did you hear me Hon?"  
  
Buffy sighed as her mothers voice carried from the hallway into her room. "Yeah mom I heard ya. But don't you think we can discuss this like two intelligent people?"  
  
Joyce Summers laughed softly as she walked through the doorway, "There's nothing to discuss."  
  
"Oh but there is! You see the School was… um… blown up! Yeah! That's it! It was destroyed in a fiery explosion last night! It was on the news and everything! I'm surprised you didn't see it."  
  
Buffy's mother walked over to her bed and ruffled her daughters hair, "Nice try. Now move."  
  
Buffy sighed in defeat as she collapsed back on her mattress. "You do realize this is cruel and unusual punishment don't you?"  
  
"Somehow I think you'll survive."  
  
Buffy blew a strand of hair away from her face, "Shows what you know."  
  
Joyce turned to fix her daughter with a concerned look "Don't you want to see Willow?"  
  
"Mom, I love Will's, but I see her all the time! Anyways, she loves school. She thinks its gods gift to mankind."  
  
"Why can't you be more like her?"  
  
"Because I have common sense?"  
  
"Very funny. Now get going and get dressed. I'll be downstairs fixing breakfast."   
  
As Joyce left the room, Buffy grabbed a pillow and placed it over her face.  
  
"I hate School."  
  
"Hey Buffy! Don't you just love school."  
  
Buffy raised an eyebrow at her friend as they made there way up the front steps, "Willow, don't make me kill you."  
  
"Ah c'mon Buff. Get in the spirit of things." Buffy took a look at the scene around them. Behind them, students were filing out of school buses and mixing in with the already assembled groups. They were chatting and running around. They seemed quite happy, but Buffy knew the truth. The act was a cover for the anguish of being in the most hated of places known to man.  
  
"There is no spirit! There's just a big hole of unhappiness and misery where people gather around and sing songs of sadness."  
  
Willow eyed her friend skeptically. "Wow Buffy. You seem kinda…upset."  
  
Buffy scowled at her, "You're powers of deduction astound me Willow. No wonder you've got the best grade in the class."  
  
"Yeah well, I try. Now tell me what's wrong. Are you bored?"  
  
"Yep that's me. I'm definitely bored! I live in the center of Boringville USA.. Population: One very bored Buffy."  
  
"Relax girl. School can be fun if you just give it a chance."  
  
"I gave it a chance. In fact, I gave it eight chances. I have been more then patient. In fact, I should get an award for patience! If I haven't caught the spirit yet then I'm not ever gonna."  
  
"I can see you feel pretty strongly about this."  
  
Buffy sighed as she pulled her friend over to the side. "Its not just school Will. What with dad leaving and Derek and I breaking up… I'm just really down in the dumps right now."  
  
Willow placed a consoling hand on Buffy's shoulder. "I know things are tough right now, but they'll get better. There are plenty of fish in the sea."  
  
"You're just saying that cause you got Oz."  
  
"I can't help it. I'm happy so I want everyone else I care about to be happy too."  
  
The blonde shoved her hands in her pockets and stuck her lip out in a classic pouting pose, "I'm trying Will, but its going to take some time. I mean, its not like I'm just gonna meet the guy of my dreams today."  
  
Laughing softly, Willow grabbed her friends hand as she guided her to their first period class. "You never know Buff. You never know…"  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new student with us today."  
  
Buffy looked up from her notebook in curiosity. She leaned over to Willow. "You hear anything about a new kid?"  
  
"Yeah. He's supposed to be from France or something." her friend whispered back.  
  
"France huh? Cool."  
  
"Alexander Harris, would you please come in?"  
  
Buffy looked toward the door to get a look at the new boy… and her breath caught in her throat as he walked through the door. The boy, Alex, was, in a word, a hottie. His hair was dark and cut short, just the right length. His face was perfectly proportioned, with bright, chocolate brown eyes that seemed to sparkle. He wore a black leather jacket and white T-shirt that only partially concealed his powerful arms and chest. Blue denim jeans covered his long legs, ending in a pair of black boots. A sardonic look was in place on his face and his lopsided grin was incredibly sexy.  
  
In short, the guy was eye candy.  
  
"Uh Buffy? You're drooling." Willow quietly warned her friend and Buffy quickly closed her mouth which had been hanging open.  
  
Oblivious to Buffy's, not to mention every other girl in the classes, infatuation, the teacher continued with the introduction.  
  
"Alexander here comes all the way from France."  
  
"Uh, its Xander actually." The dark haired hunk spoke up for the first time, in a deep, sexy voice.  
  
"Pardon me?"  
  
"My name. I prefer Xander."  
  
"Oh okay then. You may take your seat Xander."  
  
Buffy sat motionless in her seat, not uttering a peep. Which was in sharp contrast to her mind that was screaming, Sit here! Sit here! her eyes fixing on the unoccupied seat in front of her.  
  
She looked at him hopefully, but he didn't even glance her way and she groaned in disappointment when he settled on a seat in the back of the room.   
  
Crap!  
  
"Now class, welcome to World History. We will begin our studying with the Crusades, which took place during…." Buffy tuned out the teacher, as she sat back in her seat and scowled internally. The boy hadn't even seen her. Now he would probably meet some other cute girl and she would snatch him up. Or worse, Cordelia might find him.  
  
I hate school.  
  
"So, what did you think of the new kid?" Willow asked in a slightly teasing voice as she and Buffy made their way down the crowded hallways.  
  
"Oh, he was… okay I guess." Buffy tried to answer in an uninterested voice as she tried, equally unsuccessfully to hide the blush that creeped onto her face.  
  
"Uh huh." Willow looked at her friend with the classic `Who are you trying to fool' expression. She could tell that her friend was pretty much gaga over the guy, which she couldn't blame her for of course. Xander was very good looking. Not as good looking as Oz mind you, but still very much the hottie. Maybe Buffy and Xander can hook up. Yeah, that would be so cool! I bet he's real nice. And then her and him and me and Oz can double date. Yeah we'll have a great time! This is gonna be so cool. He's just the thing Buffy needs to get over Derek. That jerk! How could he treat Buffy like that. Cheating on her and all, and with Cordelia of all people. I tell ya, some guys are just-"  
  
Buffy turned to her friend, "Willow, you're mind babbling again."  
  
"Who me?"  
  
"Yes you. And if I know you you're probably picking out floral patterns for my bridal gown, right?"  
  
Willow looked away sheepishly, "I've always liked the `summer love' one."  
  
"Okay hold on girl. Let's not go jumping the boat. I haven't even met him yet." She reasoned, both with herself and Willow. "There's no telling whether or not he'll even like me." she finished in a small voice.  
  
"Don't be so negative Buffy. You're a great person. He'd have to be nuts not to like you."  
  
Buffy smiled softly and gave her friend a quick hug, "Thanks Wills! You're the best!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"Listen girl, I've gotta get to my locker so I'll see ya at lunch?"  
  
"Me and Oz will be waiting for you."  
  
Buffy sighed sadly as she watched her friend walk away, "Yeah, you and Oz." she whispered softly. She supposed she should be happy for her friend. Oz was a great guy and he made Willow very happy, something her friend deserved. It was just that seeing them together brought back all the painful memories of her and Derek. She wanted to feel happy again, but all she had been feeling lately was sadness.  
  
Oh well." she thought to herself, t at least things can't get any worse right?  
  
As she neared her locker, a student came barreling down the hall and clipped her, sending her book falling to the floor in a myriad of directions. The book assassin continued on his way, either not knowing or not caring what he had done.  
  
Crap!  
  
Buffy stood looking at the mess around her and let out a melancholy sigh, My life really sucks.   
  
She bent down the began collecting her papers when a hand reached over and began collecting her scattered books. Buffy looked up to thank the mysterious savior and found herself lost in a pair of chocolate brown eyes that seemed to swim with passion.  
  
"Can I have you?" Xander asked her in awe, his mind not registering what he had said as his heart and hormones had taken over control of his body.  
  
"Uh huh." Buffy answered dreamily as she stared at him, her head bobbing up and down as she nodded enthusiastically. And so they sat there and stared at each other dreamily…until reality began to set in that is.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry." Xander started as he realized what he had said, "I meant, can I help you?"  
  
Buffy snapped quickly out of her dazed state, "Uh yeah, thanks." They set about collecting her things and soon had everything back in order.  
  
"I'm Xander by the way." The young man offered as they both rose. The smile on his face was sarcastic and yet genuine as he offered his hand.  
  
"Yeah I know. I saw you in class." Buffy replied as she took his hand and shook, "I'm Buffy, Buffy Summers."  
  
"That's a beautiful name. Nice to meet you Buffy."  
  
Buffy blushed at his words. They were so simple yet they made her heart flutter, He thinks its nice to meet me, and he thinks my name is beautiful! she thought to herself.  
  
"So… uh." Buffy struggled to find a subject to talk about, "How do you like it here so far?"  
  
Xander smiled that smile that made her weak in the knees, " Well, its no Marseilles or anything but its pretty cool so far. People here are nice and you get to do more stuff then in France. Plus its not so big. Just a nice, quiet town, and I was surprised to find that the restaurants here don`t serve frogs legs. Its like a dream come true."  
  
Just a nice, quite town Buffy thought glumly, That the problem "Yeah its nice and quiet here. Nothing but quiet."  
  
They stood there staring at each other awkwardly for a few minutes, then the bell rang. Xander looked over at Buffy apologetically, "I'm sorry Buffy but I have to go. I need to get my new books from the library."  
  
In spite of her mood, Buffy found herself amused, "Have you met our librarian yet?"  
  
"No, I can't say that I have. In fact, I haven`t met many librarians in my time sadly. I must admit that I feel this enormous void in my life."  
  
"Well you better prepare yourself."  
  
"Why? Is he like a demon or something. I bet that's it isn't it? He's the demon of the library. If you don't get your books back on time he'll suck out your eyeballs, or maybe he'll imprison you in one of his books. That doesn't really sound like fun does it? All that dust and ink. I bet its really uncomfortable in there…"  
  
Xander trailed off as he saw Buffy watching him curiously. "Are you okay?" she asked in an amused tone.  
  
"Oh yeah, I'm fine. I was just trying, rather unsuccessfully to be funny. I tend to act rather silly in front of beautiful girls. it's a weakness I have. The doctors have tried to fix it but my insurance didn`t hold up" he sighed dramatically, "I guess I'll have to live with it.  
  
Once again Buffy found herself turning red in the face, "Thank you." she managed as she struggled to wipe the silly grin from her face. This guys the total package. He's good looking, nice, funny, smart, and most importantly, he likes me!  
  
He grinned at her, "No problem Buffy." he began to walk away while still facing her, "I really gotta go, but I'll see you in class?"  
  
The smitten blonde grinned back, "You bet you will!"  
  
"Nice meeting you Buffy." he called out as he turned away from her and made his way towards the library.  
  
"Same here." Buffy walked away with that foolish grin still plastered on her face, What a hottie! It looks like things just might start to get interesting here after all!  
  
Little did she know how right she was.  
  
End part 1  
  
Authors end notes: I feel that this part lacks something that the other one had but I can't figure out what. I'm trying to get the characters right, but I'm not much for writing conversations. If I had my way most of the story would be internal thoughts and external actions but it can't work that way. Please bear with me while I try to muddle through. 


End file.
